Skirl Records, Chris Speed’s brand new imprint, is releasing a monumental release by a powerful clarinet trio. The trio is collectively known as “The Clarinets”, and includes Chris Speed on clarinet and Anthony Burr on bass clarinet. Oscar Noriega plays both clarinets. Their sound is like a steam train moving slowly. It is the sound of an engine slowly revving up and building momentum before it explodes. These improvisations aren’t pretty, but there is an element of beauty to them. It is amazing to see the way that the bass clarinets wrap around a soloing clarinet. The Trio explores harmony and tonal differences to great effect. The mass on “Languor” resembles a medieval organ while the “Televiewer”, a haunting soundtrack to a horror movie scene, is quite different. Although individual peeps and squeaks occasionally pop out of the woodwork, for the duration of the disc, they all act together as one entity. Their shared sense of unity is extraordinary. The collective blowing is so delicate and precise that you might think the trio have fallen asleep while they play. The pacing is done in slow motion, to be exact. This is freeze frame music. It’s something you should take in slowly and not rush. You should enjoy these sounds and melodies as slow as possible, just like good wine. Highly essential listening. from http://chrisspeed.com
